The last days of summer: Chicken Teriyaki

The last days of summer seem to be numbered, so I'm using the grill as much as possible!  This week's fav is chicken teriyaki.  If you aren't a griller, don't worry--you can use the oven. 

Chicken Teriyaki

(Print this recipe)

7 chicken breasts, cut in half, or 14 chicken tenderloins

Sauce:

2 c. soy

3 c. water

2 c. brown sugar*

1/2 c. white or cidar vinegar**

2 tsp. garlic powder or 2 cloves fresh garlic

2 tsp. ginger powder

*If you want it sweeter, add more sugar

**If you want it more tangy, add more vinegar

Cornstarch mixture (to thicken remaining sauce)

1/2 c. COLD water

2 Tbs. cornstarch

Directions:

Combine all sauce ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to a boil in order to dissolve all the sugar. 

This is my trick to thaw out frozen chicken breasts--it only takes 20 minutes this way, and I can avoid the microwave that seems to always partially cook my chicken during defrost.

If you are using breast instead of tenderloins, just cut each breat in half. 

Pour 1 1/2 cups sauce over chicken (can do it immediately; the hot marinade won't hurt the chicken) and allow to marinade, ideal for 3-4 hours or overnight.

 Turn chicken pieces at least once during marinade time. 

If you are grilling the chicken, oil the grill FIRST.  Then place chicken on preheated grill (about 350-400) degrees.  Depending on the size of your pieces, 4-8 minutes per side.  Baste chicken pieces with marinade before turning them. 

If you are cooking in the oven, remove chicken from marinade and place on a rack inside of a cookie sheet for ideal results.  If all you have is a 9X13 pan, just made sure you get most of the marinade off the chicken.  You still will baste the chicken with the marinade halfway through cooking.  Cook in 350 degree oven for 10-20 minutes depending on the size of your pieces.   

Return remaining sauce to medium heat, add cornstarch mixture that you have mixed together, and cook until sauce thickens.  Serve sauce over chicken and rice.

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Salmon Patties with Mango Salsa

Salmon Patties with Mango Salsa

My new favorite!  For those of you who have tried my other recipes, you know that I'm all about quick and easy.  This is a great recipe to make when you need to make dinner fast.  As long as you have a couple of the ingredients on-hand (mangos, cilantro), this is a great dish to make when you don't have a lot of time.  Start to finish was a half-hour.  If you aren't a fan of mangos, you can substitute peaches.

(Print this Recipe) 

From the Kitchen of Ann Majors

Ingredients
Salsa
2 ripe mangos, peeled and diced
1 small (or half a large), cored, seeded, and finely chopped jalapeno pepper
1 ½ tsp fresh lemon juice
1 ½ tsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
2 1/2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro

Salmon Patties
18 oz. red salmon
3 tsp. lemon zest
3 finely chopped green scallions
2 large eggs
¼ tsp. black pepper
3 ½ tsp. dried whole-wheat bread crumbs (plain)
2 Tbs. vegetable oil for pan frying

Directions

For the salsa:
1.  Combine all ingredients in a non-reactive bowl, gently mix and set aside while you prepare the patties.

For the Salmon Patties:

1.   Drain salmon, empty into a large bowl, and mash with a fork

2.   Add scallions, lemon zest, eggs, black pepper, bread crumbs and mix well. 

3.  Shape into either 7 small patties (1/2-inch thickness) or 4 large (1-inch thickness)

4.  Heat oil in a sauté pan, skillet, or griddle over medium-high heat. 

5.  Gently place salmon patties in the pan and brown both sides, 2 minutes per side for the smaller patties and 3 to 5 minutes for 1-inch patties.

6.  Serve with mango salsa on top or on the side.

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Chicken Tikka Masala

I adore Indian food--ADORE!!!  You think it would, therefore, be easy to find a recipe that matches the flavors I adore so.  Well, not as easy as you might think.  Turns out, I didn't know which region of India the dishes I liked came from until I started asking.  The Northern and Southern regions are vastly different.  Turns out that I prefer North Indian cuisine.  Here is Chicken Tikka Masala recipe I modified from http://www.grouprecipes.com/.  I did alter the recipe by marinading the chicken in the yogurt mixture, and I also added lite coconut milk instead of heavy cream.  I prefer my tikka masala to be a bit sweeter, not a lot, just not tart which can tend to happen with all the tomatoes; add more sugar if you are like me.  Also, it tastes better the next dayafter the spices had time to meld all together.  I got another recipe to make my own garam masala in case I couldn't find any, but luckily Whole Foods had it. 


Chicken Tikka Masala
Ingredients

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• chicken Tikka: 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts , trimmed of fat
• 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt (see note above)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil shopping list
• 2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger 
• masala Sauce: 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 
• 1 medium onion , diced fine (about 1 1/4 cups)
• 2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons) *You could alternatively use the bottled variety; I recommend Christopher Ranch garlic
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger 
• 1 fresh serrano chile , ribs and seeds removed, flesh minced, or canned green chilies. 
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste 
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 2-3 teaspoons sugar 
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2/3 cup lite coconut milk
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves 

How to make it 

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• The Problem: Chicken tikka masala is not an authentic Indian dish—it was invented in a London curry house. Without historical roots, there is no definitive recipe. The variations we found had mushy or dry chicken and sauces that were unbearably rich and/or overspiced.
• The Goal: The promise of a new way to cook chicken with exotic flavors holds plenty of appeal—especially if the recipe can be kept simple and made with readily available ingredients.
• The Solution: To season the bird, we rubbed it with salt, coriander, cumin, and cayenne and refrigerated it for 30 to 60 minutes. Then we dipped it in yogurt mixed with oil, garlic, and ginger. To cook the chicken, we chose to keep this a year-round recipe by using the broiler instead of the grill. And since large pieces don't dry out as quickly as smaller ones under the broiler, we cooked the chicken breasts whole, only cutting them into pieces after cooking. While the chicken was cooking, we made the masala sauce. Masala means "hot spice," and the ingredients in a masala sauce depend on the whim of the cook, although tomatoes and cream are always present. We added onions, ginger, garlic, chile, and a readily available commercial garam masala spice mixture (McCormick won a recent taste test). A little tomato paste and sugar gave our sauce color and sweetness.
• 1. FOR THE CHICKEN: Combine cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt in small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with spice mixture, pressing gently so mixture adheres. Place chicken on plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. In large bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil, garlic, and ginger; set aside. (Note that restaurant Tikka Masala will sit in the mixture ideally overnight, per another group recipes user who commented on this recipe)
• 2. FOR THE SAUCE: Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, chile, tomato paste, and garam masala; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cream and return to simmer. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm.
• 3. While sauce simmers, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat broiler. Using tongs, dip chicken into yogurt mixture (chicken should be coated with thick layer of yogurt) and arrange on wire rack set in foil-lined rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan. Discard excess yogurt mixture. Broil chicken until thickest parts register 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer and exterior is lightly charred in spots, 10 to 18 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking.
• 4. Let chicken rest 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch chunks and stir into warm sauce (do not simmer chicken in sauce). Stir in cilantro, adjust seasoning with salt, and serve.

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Healthy Stir-Fry

"Healthy Stir-Fry" should be considered a redundant title, but sometimes it's not.  Consider the usual side dish that accompanies most stir-fry recipes, that being white rice.  I put it in my useless food category because it lacks the fiber and protein of brown rice and it seriously spikes insulin levels.  It is a worthless starch in my opinion, yet I still stock it for the rare occasion that I am willing to throw caution to wind and indulge in a great rice pudding recipe.  Now, if you are not a fan of brown rice, I pose to you the saying my aunt would regularly recite to me when I would visit her house and she would try to get me to eat a new vegetable: "try it; maybe someday you will like it."  Funny enough, one day I started liking cucumbers thanks to her!  If you really hate brown rice, perhaps try it once and a while in small doses.  Your body will thank you.  I have relatives who are very allergic to wheat (and they know this because they go into a major stupor after eating it as their body works fervently but failingly to digest it) but have no issues with brown rice. 

So...back to making stir-fry healthy.  For starters, watch the oil content.  I limit myself to 2 Tbs. where at all possible.  Next, go for the low sodium soy sauce--high sodium content and water retention are the best of friends, for men or women.  Third, go light on the portion size of proteins that pack a punch in the fat department.  Most people think that pork is super light, but mind you there are varieties that can seriously increase your waistline.  A good alternative is shrimp, or chicken if you don't want to pay the price for shellfish.  If you do go for chicken, look for a brand that raises its foul without hormones and doesn't inject its product with chemical solutions or flavor enhancers.  I like Foster Farms, and you can get that at Costco even. 

Healthy Stir-Fry

1 large onion, preferably of the sweet variety, but yellow will do just fine, diced
2 Tbs. oil, preferably peanut or sesame oil, but other oils work fine also
1 Tbs. minced garlic; you can add less if you aren't as much of a garlic fan
3-4 carrots, thinly chopped
2-3 stalks of celery
6 asparagus spears, cut into 1 inch pieces
3-4 cups brown rice
soy sauce to taste, about 1 tsp.
oyster sauce to taste, about 3 Tbs.
Optional: 1 cup cooked chicken, pork, or shrimp

1.  In a wok or large frying pan, saute onions in oil until soft over medium heat.  Add the garlic and saute for 2 minutes more, being careful to stir often so the garlic doesn't burn.
2.  Dump onion contents into a separate bowl and set aside.  In the wok you just used, add the rest of the veggies along with a 1/2 cup of water and cover and steam for 3-4 minutes until soft.  Strain off any remaining water.  Dump steamed veggies into the bowl holding the onions and garlic.
3.  In the same wok you've been using, add in the brown rice and briefly fry for 2-3 minutes.  You can add extra oil at this point if you would like, but I try not to in order to control the fat content of the dish.
4.  Add all the veggies (and cooked protein of your choice if you are opting for it at this point) to the wok with the brown rice and combine over medium-low heat to reheat veggies (and not burn the rice.)  At this point, add the soy and oyster sauce.  NOTE: The oyster sauce is KEY to this dish--without it, you will lack some serious flavor.
5.  Top with baby green onions (scallions).

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Ridiculously Good Sweet 'N Sour Meatballs

I just LOVE these! I am not a huge fan of the typical meatballs with marinara, so an alternative is nice. These, on the other hand, are sweet little bites of love that will have your mouth watering for more. They are healthy, and another bonus is that kids love them. I generally serve them with brown rice.Ridiculously Good Sweet 'N Sour Meatballs
(Print this Recipe)
Ingredients:1 lb. ground beef
3/4 cup rolled oats
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup finely chopped onion (I prefer sweet onions to the yellow variety)
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
1 tsp. Worcester sauce

Sauce:

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tsp. prepared mustard (I prefer country-style Dijon)
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
1 tsp. Worcester sauce
Directions:1. Combine all ingredients; mix well. Form into balls, about 2" in diameter. Place in a 9 x 13 casserole dish. Cover with sauce and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes (less if you make small meatballs).

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3 Bean Chili

I am a huge fan of having food in the fridge that can be ready to eat in a matter of minutes. I especially like said food when it is healthy, packed with nutrients, and doesn’t suck half my day preparing it. This is dish that can be ready to eat in 20 minutes and can be prepared mostly from goods in your pantry. Consequently, it is also a big group pleaser, where you can add tasty side dishes/breads or whatever strikes you given the moment or the season.

This version can be as mild or as spicy as you like it. This recipe is more on the mild side, but if you want to give it some kick, add chili powder, making sure to remember that a little goes a long way. When adding chili powder, I start with a sprinkle and work my way up, tasting as I go. A good tip to remember is that while you may enjoy spice, your guests may not.
3 Bean Chili:

1 lb. ground beef
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 medium onions
3 stalks celery
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 can green chilies (either diced, or buy them canned whole and dice them yourself—I prefer the latter).
2-3 smaller cans diced tomatoes, or 1 large
1 can tomato paste
1 can great northern (white) beans, drained and rinsed
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, undrained
1-2 Tbs. cumin
Salt and pepper to taste.
Chili powder (optional)

Directions:
1. In a very large pot (cast iron is my fav, or Le Creuset) Saute onions and celery in olive oil until softened. Removed from pan and set aside.
2. In the pan you just used to sauté the onions, without washing the pan, add the meat (seasoned with salt and pepper, about 2 tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper) and brown—this will allow the flavors of the onions to be incorporated into the meat.
3. Add the onions, celery, and garlic, and chilis to the meat and cook on medium-low for 3-4 minutes to cook garlic, stirring a few times to combine. Note: you can drain the meat first, but if you buy lean meat, you don’t necessarily have to.
4. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil for one minute. Removed from heat and serve immediately, or the same day.

Serve with cheddar cheese, sour cream, corn bread, or by itself!

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Dijon Tarragon Salmon with Dill Butter

If you are new to cooking fish, don't know where to start, or are just looking for a great recipe, then this one is for you! This recipe is VERY simple and VERY tasty. There is nothing I like less than flavorless fish! I used wild coho salmon--it has amazing flavor and a natural intense red color both before you cook it and after when you are eating it. I prefer wild salmon to farm raised because I like where the fish come from and what they feed--naturally speaking. It is definitely more expensive, but well-worth it in my opinion. For 3 fillets at my local market, I paid $11.99 total. In a pinch I will go for farm raised, but it can't even compare to the flavor of wild salmon!

At this point in time, I am not much into marinating for two reasons. First, I adore the taste of salmon without all the bells and whistles of a marinade. When too many things are added to fish, I feel like I am eating the sauce/marinade as the focus instead of the fish. Secondly, I like to be able to come home and cook things quick = the likely hood that I will take time to marinate ahead of time very small. I do love good seasoning/spreads on top that are fast, easy, and add flavor yet don't overpower the natural flavor of the fish.

From start to finish, this took me 15 minutes to prepare. Roughly 3 minutes to rinse/season the fish and get it in the oven; 9 minutes to bake (for thicker pieces 11 minutes); and 2 minutes to dish up and finish. It actually took the rice longer to cook! Food factoid: you know that the salmon is done when it springs back at you when you push on it--not with your fingers mind you, although you could--but I prefer to use the bottom of a fork or a spatula. Hard salmon means it is overcooked and DRY, and believe me, that is not so fun to eat. Moist salmon, on the other hand, will have you coming back for seconds!

Dijon Tarragon Salmon with Dill Butter

2-3 Fillets wild salmon

1/2 tsp. lemon juice

Sea salt and pepper to liberally season fillets

2 Tbs. dijon mustard (about 1 Tbs. per fillet; enough to coat the top of each one)

1/2 tsp. dry Tarragon or 1 tsp. fresh

Dill Butter

1/4 cup butter

1/2 tsp. dry dill, or 1 tsp. fresh

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil (I like to pinch the edges together so all the juices don't run out). Rinse the salmon under cold water, wipe of excess water (or you can pat dry) and place the fillets skin-side down. Pour 1/4 tsp. lemon juice on each fillet, and then liberally season with salt and pepper. Spread 1 Tbs. of dijon mustard on top of each fillet, enough to coat. Add more if you need more. Sprinkle the top of each fillet with about 1/4 tsp. Tarragon. If you are using dry Tarragon, mash it between your fingers as you go in order to get the oils out of the spice (they may seem dryer than dry, but it's there.) Place the baking sheet in a 400 degree oven for 9-11 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets.

Meanwhile, soften 1/4 cup butter in the microwave. Watch it because you don't want melted. Mince the dill on a cutting board in order to get those wonderful oils to come out and add flavor to the butter. Add the minced dill to the butter and combine. Note: you can save any remaining dill butter in the freezer.

When the salmon comes out of the oven, top it with the dill butter while the salmon is still warm, about 1 Tbs. per fillet. Serve with rice and veggies of your choice.

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